Flashing material



y 1931. w. M. SHAKESPEARE 1,813,089

FLASHING MATERIAL Filed March 1, 1929 A TORNEYS Patented July 7, 1931UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM M. SHAKESPEARE, OF SOUTH ORANGE, NEWJERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO ANA- CONDA SALES COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ACORPORATION OF DELAWARE FLASHING MATERIAL Application filed March 1,

This invent-ion relates to roofing products of the composite type whichconsist of a base of non-metallic material resistant to water, forexample, asphalt-impregnated felt, and a thin layer of metal affixedthereto, the metal being of insufficient mechanical strength to be usedalone but receiving the necessary support from'the base which it in turnprotects against the actionof the elements. More particularly, thepresent invention is concerned with a metal-clad product which isespecially useful as a flashing strip, and in valleys and the like, anda method by which it can be made.

In laying roofs it is standard practice to use metal for flashing stripsaround chimneys, etc., and also in valleys and in similar angularlocations. In roofs of the better grade, sheet copper was used for thatpurpose for a long time because of its resistance to corrosion, but thecost of such sheet material used alone was too high to permit its use oncheaper structures. To reduce the cost without sacrificing any of theadvantages of the copper sheet, there was devised the roofing materialdescribed and claimed in Robinson Patent, No. 1,663,565 of March 271928, which material is of the composite type and consists of a thinflexible felt web with a layer or strip of metal afiiXed thereto tocover a central zone narrower than the web. In this material, the metalis much thinner than the copper sheet previously used and is supportedby the felt. The uncovered selvage edges of the felt provide means forsecuring a good joint where adjacent roofing elements overlap thematerial since the joint is felt to felt or wood to felt instead of feltor wood to metal. The patented material is in general satisfactory andofiers the building owner the opportunity to obtain all the advantagesof sheet copper flashings or valleys at greatly reduced cost.

The material of the present invention is an improvement over the productoft-he patent in the respect that the new product is so constructed thatthe metal is more securely bound to the base and the possibility of theseepage of water between the base and metal is overcome. The means bywhich these results are achieved also strengthen the material along1929. Serial N0. 343,743.

its edges and serve to prevent water from creeping into the roof beyondthe edge of the material.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to theaccompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a transverse sectional viewthrough a valley in which the new material is employed Fig. :2 is a planview of a portion of the new material;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the material illustrated inFig. 2, and

Fig. 4. is a view in side elevation partly in section diagrammaticallyillustrating the process of making the new material.

Referring to these drawings, the new material is shown to consist of aweb of thin, flexible, non-metallic material. I prefer to make this webof thin rooting felt, referably rag felt impregnated with asp' alt. Thefelt used is of the grade known as cap sheet and a suitable felt for thepurpose is one having a weight of26 lbs/per square. This felt is readilyflexible both longitudinally and transversely. For use as a flashing, invalleys and the like, I employ a. felt web approximately Wide, althoughit is to be understood that the dimensions and weight of the feltmay bevaried according to the requirements of the particular uses to which itis to be put.

One face of the felt web is partly covered by a strip of metal 11. Iprefer to use copper for the purpose by reason of its resistance tocorrosion and because of its flexibility. The copper employed is oflight weight and of much less mechanical strength than would be requiredwere this metal to be used alone for flashing and valley purposes.Preferably, I employ electrodeposited metal since metal strips ofthe'desired weight may be made much more cheaply by electro-depositionthan by rolling. *lVhile electrodepositcd copper is relatively weak,that is a matter of no consequence in the present instance because themetal is in contact with the felt throughout its extent, is firmlysecured thereto and thus is strengthened and supported by the felt. Themetal employed is so thin that it does not stiffen the felt to an extentsuch as to interfere with the normal -use of the product.

The metal strip to be used on a web of felt wide is approximately 10% to11" in width and the metal is disposed along the central axis of thefelt so as to cover a central zone thereof, a selvage edge of felt oneach side of the web being unprotected by the metal. This metal may beafiixed to the felt by means of a thin film of hot asphalt and theapplication of pressure. This asphalt film binds the metal and felttogether with sufficient strength to prevent their separation and sincethe metal is highly flexiblethere is little tendency for the metal andbase to separate when the asphalt is used as .the adhesive. If desired,the metal may be electroplated directly on the surface of the felt,although I prefer to produce the metal strip in a separate operation andaflix it to the felt thereafter.

Along each edge of the web on that face to which the metal is securedare next applied two strips 12 of felt of a grade similar to that usedfor the main web. These strips are relatively narrow and are preferablyof a width sufiicient to extend from the side edge of the Web inwardlyslightly beyond the side edge of the metal strip. With a felt web 20"wide having a 10% strip of metal along the center, each of the feltstrips 12 is approximately 5 in width. These strips are secured inposition by means of hot asphalt and by the application of pressure, theportions of the strips 12 which overlie the metal bein r secured theretoby the asphalt.

Vith the arrangement described, the portions of double thickness felt atthe edges of the product strengthen the material and prevent seepage ofwater between the metal and base. Under ordinary circumstances, the newproduct will be used for purposes which require its being bent along itsmedian line as an axis, as illustrated in Fig. 1, for example, whcre theproduct is bent to conform to the sides of the valley 13. The additionof the strips 12, therefore, does not reduce the case with which the newproduct may be bent to conform to the roof surfaces on which it is tobelaid, and, while flexibility about a. transverse axis is somewhatreduced, this is not important since even where the felt is of doublethickness, it is still sufliciently flexible to permit such bending asis ordinarily required.

- The presence of the portions of double thickness along the edges ofthe product serve another useful purpose. The material is ordinarilylaid to cover a part of the roof on each side of which are laid ordinaryroofing elements 1 1. These roofing elements are placed to overlie theselvage edges covered by the strips 12 and the joint between the roofingelements and the product is provided in part i by a felt surface. If theroofing elements 14:

are of roofin felt, the joint is. felt to felt, which muc superior tothe felt to metal joint obtained when sheetmetal is used alone to coverthe valley. In laying the roofing elements, they are placed so thattheir edges 15 project beyond the inner edges 16 of the strips 12, andthe inner edges of the strip 12 thus provide a dam against the entranceof water. When rain beats up the surface 17, it encounters the inneredge 16 of the strip 12. The water cannot flow between the strip 12 andthe base 10, since the two are firmly bound together by the asphaltfilm. Entrance of water into the roof, therefore, can only occur.

by seepage through the joint between the element 14 and the uppersurfaceof the strip 12 which it overlies, but the water cannot reachthis joint readily because the joint is raised above the surface of themetal bythe thickness of the strip 12. The inner edge of the strip 12,therefore, forms an abutment which makes it more diflicult for rain tocreep into the roof and leakage is thus avoided.

The new material is preferably made in the form of rolls of convenientlength and it may be employed as illustrated in Fig. 1 for valleys,gutters and the like, or it may be cut lengthwise and the half portionsthus formed used for flashing purposes. Also, a web of the new productmay-be cut into individual units which may be employed for purposesillustrated and described in the Robinson patent above mentioned.

A convenient method of producing the new material involves thepreparation of the felt in the ordinary way. A strip 18 ofelectrodeposited copper of the desired width and of indefinite length ispassed over a tank 19 of hot asphalt in which is rotating a roller 20which dips into the asphalt. The metal passes in contact with thesurface of the roller and receives a coating of asphalt on its undersurface. The felt web is advanced beneath the tank and the metal coatedon its under surface and the felt and metal are then passed between apair of pressure rollers 21, one of which is of yielding material, forexample, rubber or a similar composition. The metal and felt aresuitably guided by guides 22 so that the metal is applied to the centralzone of the felt, the passage of the felt and metal between the rollerscausing the two to be firmly bound together. The metal-clad felt 23 isthen passed beneath another tank 24 of asphalt in which is rotating aroller 25, the surface of which lies above the liquid level. The strips12 of felt pass over the'top of the tank in contact with the roller,being suitably guided in their movement by guides 26. The metalclad feltand the two strips which receive a coating by their contact with theroller are then led between a pair of pressure rollers 27 similar tothose previously described and the asphalt-coated felt strips are causedto adhere to the metal-clad felt base. The material. continues on to becut into suitable resistant material, a strip of metal extendinglengthwise of the base spaced inwardly from the edges thereof, andstrips of base material along each edge of the base and overlying theedges of the metal strip.

2. A material for roofing and similar purposes'which comprises 'aweb offlexible fibrous water-resistant material, a strip offflexible metal onthe base extending lengthwise thereof, the metal being of less widththan the base and lying with its edges spaced inwardly from the edges ofthebase, and strips of base material one at each side of the base andextending lengthwise of the base and overlying the edges of the metalstrip.

3. A material for roofing and similar purposes which comprises a web ofwater-resistant fibrous material, a stripof metal on the base andextending along the longitudinal axis thereof, the metal strip beingabout half the width of the base and lying with its edges equally spacedfrom the edges of the base, and a strip of base material alon eachredgeof the base and of a width sufficient so that with one ed e of the stripaligned wit-h the edge of the ase the other edge overlies the edge ofthe metal to a slight extent.

4. A material for. roofing and other purposes Which comprisesa web offlexible waterresist-ant material, the web having lengthwise portionsalong its margins of double thickness, and a strip of metal on one faceof the web covering only the portion of single thickness. 4

5. A material for roofing and other purposes which comprises a web offlexible waterresistant material having portions of double thicknessextending lengthwise along its side edges, the width of said portions,being substantially less than half the width of the base, and a strip ofmetal coverin only the central zone between said thickness.

6. A material for buildi comprises'a thin flexible Wei of impregnatedfelt of less width than length having portions of double thicknessextendin lengthwise along its side edges, thewidth 0 each portion beingapproximately equal to one-quarter the width of the web, and a strip ofthin metal of insufficient mechanical strength to be used alone coverinthat portion of the web which is of single t ickness, themetal stripbeing slightly wider than the distance between adjaportions ofdoublepurposes which cent edges of said portions andhaving both its sideedgw projecting beyond adjacent edges of said portions.

7. A material for roofing and other pur- 1poses which comprises a web offlexible brous material treated to be water-resistant, the web havinglengthwise portions along its margins of double thickness, and a stripof weak deposited copper on one face of the web covering only theportion of single thickness, the metal being readily flexible.

85A method for producing a material for roofing and similar purposeswhich comprises placing a web of base material in motion endwise, moving.a strip of metal of indefinite length in the same direction and at thesame rate in spaced relation to the web,

applying an adhesivefcoating to the under, surface of the metal, placingthe coated metal strip, and the web in contact and applyingyielding'pressure thereto, moving a pair of strips of base materialnarrower than the web in the same direction as the metal-clad web and inspaced relation thereto,sapplying adhesive to the inner surface of'bothstrips, placing the strips in contact with the metalclad base along theedges of the latter and subjecting the base and strips to yieldingpressure to cause the strips to be united to. the web along the edgesthereof.

9. A material for roofing and other purposes which comprises a web offlexible fibrous material treated to be water-resistant, the web havinga lengthwise portion two plies thick along.one margin thereof, and astrip of flexible metal aflixed to the web and covering the portion ofsingle thickness.

10. A material for roofing and other purv poses which comprises a web offlexible fibrous material treated to be water-resistant, the'web havinga lengthwise portion two plies 'thick along one margin thereof, and astrip thereof, anda strip of metal on one face of the web covering theportion of single thickness, said metal strip extending between saidplies a short distance.

- In testimony whereof .I afiix my signature.

WILLIAM M. SHAKESPEARE.

